Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2016

43-5052 Postal Service Mail Carriers

Sort mail for delivery. Deliver mail on established route by vehicle or on foot.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
328,950 0.0 % $24.33 $50,610 0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $16.07 $17.69 $27.94 $28.78 $29.37
Annual Wage (2) $33,420 $36,800 $58,110 $59,860 $61,100


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Postal Service 328,950 52.02 $24.33 $50,610

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Postal Service 328,950 52.02 $24.33 $50,610

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Postal Service 328,950 52.02 $24.33 $50,610


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 34,590 2.17 0.92 $25.11 $52,240
Texas 23,990 2.04 0.87 $24.22 $50,380
New York 22,430 2.47 1.05 $24.27 $50,480
Florida 19,660 2.39 1.02 $24.50 $50,960
Illinois 15,300 2.59 1.11 $24.33 $50,610




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Michigan 11,950 2.84 1.21 $24.30 $50,540
Alabama 5,320 2.78 1.19 $24.20 $50,340
Mississippi 3,080 2.76 1.18 $24.10 $50,120
Connecticut 4,570 2.74 1.17 $24.65 $51,270
Missouri 7,540 2.73 1.17 $23.82 $49,540




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 1,100 1.74 0.74 $25.43 $52,900
California 34,590 2.17 0.92 $25.11 $52,240
Massachusetts 7,980 2.30 0.98 $25.02 $52,050
New Jersey 10,340 2.61 1.12 $24.82 $51,630
Connecticut 4,570 2.74 1.17 $24.65 $51,270





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 15,890 2.41 1.03 $24.54 $51,030
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 9,600 2.27 0.97 $25.00 $52,000
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division 8,340 2.29 0.98 $24.69 $51,360
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 6,170 2.10 0.90 $24.20 $50,330
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 5,370 2.10 0.90 $24.59 $51,150
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 5,230 2.10 0.90 $24.13 $50,200
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 4,350 1.79 0.76 $24.84 $51,680
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 3,800 1.99 0.85 $24.13 $50,200
Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division 3,770 2.93 1.25 $25.03 $52,050
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 3,710 1.92 0.82 $24.70 $51,380




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Sebring, FL 120 4.67 1.99 $23.08 $48,010
Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL 200 4.10 1.75 $23.98 $49,880
Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, MA NECTA Division 170 4.01 1.71 $26.03 $54,140
Jacksonville, NC 180 3.94 1.68 $24.75 $51,470
Ocean City, NJ 150 3.90 1.66 $23.78 $49,460
Danville, IL 100 3.89 1.66 $23.81 $49,530
Punta Gorda, FL 170 3.84 1.64 $24.13 $50,200
Madera, CA 160 3.75 1.60 $25.45 $52,940
Waterbury, CT 260 3.73 1.59 $24.41 $50,780
Flint, MI 500 3.72 1.59 $24.35 $50,640




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Rafael, CA Metropolitan Division 360 3.23 1.38 $26.28 $54,650
Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, MA NECTA Division 170 4.01 1.71 $26.03 $54,140
San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metropolitan Division 1,890 1.77 0.75 $26.03 $54,140
Napa, CA 140 1.94 0.83 $25.77 $53,610
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,730 1.66 0.71 $25.69 $53,440
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division 3,630 2.01 0.86 $25.67 $53,400
Peabody-Salem-Beverly, MA NECTA Division 200 2.15 0.92 $25.60 $53,240
Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 3,030 1.94 0.83 $25.57 $53,180
Hot Springs, AR 110 3.11 1.33 $25.55 $53,140
Urban Honolulu, HI 840 1.81 0.77 $25.54 $53,130

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 1,080 3.89 1.66 $23.27 $48,400
North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) 1,060 3.21 1.37 $23.26 $48,380
North Texas nonmetropolitan area 950 3.56 1.52 $23.66 $49,210
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 810 3.18 1.36 $23.86 $49,640
West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area 740 4.26 1.82 $22.89 $47,620

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington Parish Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 60 6.72 2.87 $24.33 $50,600
North Missouri nonmetropolitan area 610 5.56 2.37 $22.83 $47,500
North Central Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 30 5.18 2.21 $23.95 $49,820
Northwest Florida nonmetropolitan area 140 4.86 2.07 $23.65 $49,180
Northeast Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 350 4.76 2.03 $23.01 $47,850

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Utah nonmetropolitan area 40 1.60 0.68 $25.38 $52,790
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 140 1.45 0.62 $25.26 $52,540
North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 400 3.78 1.61 $24.83 $51,640
Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 170 2.76 1.18 $24.62 $51,200
Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 100 2.49 1.06 $24.54 $51,050


About May 2016 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2016 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2016 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2016 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2016 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2016 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2017